Now’s the Time to Shop for Colorful Fall Shrubs

Gardeners are so used to planting shrubs in the spring that they forget fall is also an excellent planting season. And it’s actually the best season for planting shrubs that show fall color.

If your garden is looking rather ho hum right in the fall, consider adding shrubs (and trees) with brilliant fall foliage or colorful fall berries. Garden centers and nurseries offer a wide range of both in the autumn season… and although they sell the same plants in the spring, if you shop then, you’ll only see their spring leaves and flowers, not their fall effect. By picking plants for fall color when they are at their most colorful, you’ll get a much better idea of their potential.

Also, many nurseries, eager to clear their stock before winter, start offering colorful fall shrubs at unbeatable prices towards the end of autumn. It’s a win win situation!

Pick the Spot, Then the Plant

Pick out the areas in your garden where you feel you need a bit of fall punch. Do a quick calculation of how tall and wide you want the plant to be (you certainly won’t want to get stuck in the hamster wheel of constantly pruning back an overly large shrub to make it fit!) and of the general growing conditions (exposition, drainage, soil quality, hardiness zone, etc.) and, notes in hand, head off to the nursery looking for the right plant.

Once there, you’ll discover an added bonus of fall plant shopping: the spring rush is now long over and nursery employees have more time to serve you in the fall, plus the ones who remain (the summer student crowd having gone back to school) are usually the most knowledgeable. They’ll be able to help you pick out exactly the shrub for your needs.

Doing the Deed

Planting shrubs in the fall is exactly the same as planting them in the spring: dig a hole to the depth of the root ball, remove the pot, settle the plant in the hole, backfill with soil (you can add compost, fertilizer or mycorrhizal fungi if you feel it’s necessary), tamp down lightly, then water well. You may want to mulch the root area with a few inches of chopped leaves (always good for any planting). Just make sure you get the planting done at least 2 weeks before the ground freezes so the roots will have time to settle in.

Tomorrow in this blog, a 3 lists of shrubs with fall interest to help make your choice easier.